Joe Biden to meet Russian president Vladimir Putin, who he said was a ‘killer’

Joe Biden has started a Europe tour where he will come face-to-face with the man he dubbed a killer - Russia’s president Vladimir Putin

US President Joe Biden will meet his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin, for the first time since he labelled the Russian leader a “killer”.

Mr Biden has begun an eight day foreign trip, his first since entering the White House, where he will attend a G7 summit in the UK and the travelling on to Brussels and Switzerland.

Russia erupted with fury after Mr Biden called him a “killer” in March, after allegations he had rivals killed, and claims of interference in the 2020 US election.

US media report the face-to-face meeting will be tense.

Mr Biden will first meet British Prime Minister Boris Johnson, where they will agree a new version of the “Atlantic Charter” aimed at leading the world’s pandemic recovery and bolstering ties.

The new pact, modelled on the 1941 accord signed by Winston Churchill and Franklin D. Roosevelt, aims to emulate the original accord, which shaped the post-war world order by promoting democracy, free trade and opportunity.

Joe Biden (left) and Vladimir Putin have met before but not since Mr Biden became president and labelled him a “killer”.

The 2021 charter will cover everything from global defence and security to rebuilding from coronavirus and curbing climate change, according to Mr Johnson’s Downing Street office.

In remarks released ahead of the meeting, Mr Johnson said close co-operation between London and Washington “will be crucial for the future of the world’s stability and prosperity”.

“The agreements President Biden and I will make today, rooted as they are in our shared values and outlook, will form the foundation of a sustainable global recovery,” he added.

“Eighty years ago the US President and British Prime Minister stood together promising a better future. Today we do the same.” Johnson and Biden will sit down Thursday afternoon in Cornwall, southwest England, before leaders of the world’s richest economies gather for a weekend summit.

US President Joe Biden waves as he and First Lady Jill Biden make their way to board Marine One before departing from The White House ahead of his foreign tour.

NO TIK-TOK BAN

US President Joe Biden has revoked executive orders from his predecessor Donald Trump seeking to ban Chinese-owned mobile apps TikTok and WeChat over national security concerns, the White House said.

A White House statement said that instead of banning the popular apps, the Biden administration would carry out a “criteria-based decision framework and rigorous, evidence-based analysis to address the risks” from internet applications controlled by foreign entities.

Mr Trump had claimed the Chinese-owned apps posed national security risks and had sought to force the sale of TikTok to US investors.

Joe Biden revoked orders from his predecessor Donald Trump seeking to ban Chinese-owned mobile apps TikTok and WeChat over national security concerns. Picture: AFP

Mr Biden’s order seeks to identify any “connected software applications that may pose an unacceptable risk to US national security and the American people” including “applications that are owned, controlled, or managed by persons that support foreign adversary military or intelligence activities, or are involved in malicious cyber activities, or involve applications that collect sensitive personal data.”

The new executive order calls for the Commerce Department and other federal agencies to develop guidelines “to protect sensitive personal data … including personally identifiable information and genetic information” from misuse.

Donald Trump claimed the Chinese-owned apps posed national security risks and had sought to force the sale of TikTok to US investors. Picture: Reuters

The Biden administration will undertake a review which will identify any “connected software applications that may pose an unacceptable risk to US national security”. Picture: AFP

TikTok, owned by China-based ByteDance, is believed to have some one billion users worldwide including more than 100 million in the United States, and is especially popular with young smartphone users.

WeChat, part of the Chinese tech giant Tencent, is a massively popular “super app” which includes social networking, messaging, e-commerce and more.

Originally published as Joe Biden to meet Russian president Vladimir Putin, who he said was a ‘killer’